Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-15
TALKS WITH NOTED MEN
SanSf0r Edmunds' Postal Telegraph
Billie Thinks the Interstate
Law Has Come TO Stay.
Representative Holman on the organizs
ton of the New House-How the Tariff
Ought to be Revised.
Special Correspondence of the Gazette.

Senaxnr George F Eimunds CT his
Beautiful home CT Massachusetts avenue
this afternoon and chstted with him about
the coming congressional session. He
tells me that so far as he now knows he
has no new legislation to propose, but
that his dill providing for the establish
ment Of q postal telegraph system will
undoubtedly be re-introduced at an early
date. "This BILL" said Senator Ed
munds, "provides in brief that the gov
eminent shall construct its own telegraph
lines between the larger cities first and
thence extend them further as the neces-
stiles of the people and of business seem
to require. l do not advocate the pur-
chase of existing lines nor of leasing the
lines Of other companies. | believe That
the government should own it's own
telegraph as it does its own postofiGes
and I am decidedly in favor Of postal tele-
graph. do not think 1t would add very
largely to the number of employees in the
postal service, and telegraphy has been
so simplifed Of late years that 1t does not
require much training or special adapta-
bility TO the work"
"Whst is the result OF your observe
tion of the eff4cts Of tie interstate com
me1ce laW?"
$50 far as can learn, and my advices
come from different psrts of the Uaited
S ates, the Interstate commsrce law has
worked 10 the general good of the ccun-
try. The only persons it has hurt are
certain shippers who profted by discrlm-
nations which were unjust to others. Il
"a fbinH Yonnr71aF tho
the people, and believe thst the railways
will eventually favor it themselves. Like
all corporations, they now objec5 to it on
the ground that they object TO anything
that restricts their free will; but when
experience has shown just what the law
should be, and congressional legislation
has been enacted SO as to make il nearly
as just law IS possible, they will, l think,
find 1t as beneficial to them as to the ship
pers. I suppose that amendments to the
law may possibly be offered during the
coming session, but I will not be able TO
:ell whether 1 have anything to propose
until the matter comes before Cong ess
and we have the report Ct the commits
sion.n
here referred Senator Eimunds to the
article ofE George Ticknor Curtis in
the November number of the "F0rum" IN
which Mr.. Curtis presents an argument in
| favor CT the admission of Utah as q state
under the condition that polygamy ehs.l
| be prohibited. It is said that the Nor
mons will apply for statehood at the C ON
ing session and that they will accompany
their application with constitution con
tanning this prohibition which shall no
| be repealed without the consent Of Con-
gress.
Senator Edmunds said: "I do not fs
vor the admission of Utah upon any sucf
terms. Such provision would be prac
tlcally valueless in the present condition
of the territory, and it might result IN thi
establishment of q Mormon hierarchy
Neither the Mormon executive nor III
Mormon courts would enforce law pro
hibiting polygsmy, though they Nigh
pretend to do 50. AS it Is We are maGili
great strides IN the reform stion OF Utah
and our progress among the young Nor
mRss during the past four years has pee
Every great. With the present law still i
force as the territory grows the youn
men will be gradually educated to i, en-
Ia time we will, | believe, root out II
evil"
l here recalled to the mind of the Sena
tor an interview with him given two year
ago, in which he prOphesied that Presl
dent Cleveland, though he had the best
intentions, could no. prevent the syster
of civil service reform from degenerstIn;
into spoils system.
Senator Edmunds said: 81 remem5e
the interview very we'll, and while [ sm
friend and an advoca"e of civil service re
form, it is more in sorrow than in aDgel
that say in regard to that interview,
must be 8 prophet and son Of pro
D phet."
had long chat last night with th
! Hon. William S. Holman of Indians
Holman has been in Congress for the Ia:
= twenty-five years, and he is perhaps q
well posted upon the feeling OF the Demo
dcratic side of the House ss any man In Il
United States. He tells me that there
Inc doubt but that Carlisle will be X
Ielected Speaker and ne does not thir
, that Taoebe's conte st will affect his elet
, ilttons He says she Speaker Will probsol
. re0rgAnizSsuch committees as have los
:, more than half of theil old members ar
81 that the other committees will be filled Z
WITH new men.
In response to my question as to WI
will take MOIrson's place in the HoGs
;. he said :"1 the old committee Of ways 81
means is continued Mr.. Mills Of Tex
! stands in the line of erect promotion 81
, the craftsmanship will be given to hill
If, however, b committee is reorganiz
v it may go to Sam Cox. Cox and Mi
6. have practically the same views OF {
& Itarif question and their views are abo
the same as those of Carlisle. AS to t
= leadership OF the Democratic party in {
House it is not imperative that the chat
msn of the ways and means commit
7 have it. The duties OF the commit
have changed OF late years. It has be
h, shorn of its power by the appropriate
u being taken away from 1t and scatter
b through the other committees and t
9 fact thst its chairman is the leader
- it's p:rty is legend rather than 8 nec'
: sity"
twill the House be able to do anythi
as to the tariff"
eyes, think we will agree on col
e promise tariff bill, and that
. can cut down the revenues abe
$40, 900, 900. We ought to to
, the internal revenue tax OF OF chewi
and smoking tobacco, which are the pc
mans Injuries, and ought to keep 1t
cigars, cigarettes and cheroots, which
4@I